🔗 Share this article

The English side has maintained flexibility for the first Ashes Test by including off-spinner the young spinner in a twelve-player team combined with five pace bowlers

Mark Wood has been passed fit and seems set to play facing the hosts in Western Australia on the coming Friday, with the final decision probably involving the young spinner and fast bowler the seamer

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an pace-only bowling lineup - four dedicated bowlers plus multi-skilled player the captain - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have used in an Ashes Test in the host nation

Recently Western Australia groundsman McDonald stated to expect "speed and bounce" from the wicket at the stadium, and it seems likely England will stick to a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

But the tourists have also observed a lack of moisture to the wicket, putting the off-spinner into consideration

Spin Considerations

Throughout the limited timeframe of Perth Stadium - five earlier Tests have been played here - Australian off-spinner Lyon is the top wicket-taker with 29

The team have supported Shoaib, 22 years old, as their first-choice spinner for more than a year and in spring he was recognized as the least experienced English bowler to achieve 50 wickets in Test matches

Yet he has been absent from a first-class game since claiming the last dismissal in a thrilling win over India in the third match at the famous ground in July

Current Concerns

The spinner has been suffering from a finger injury and struggled in the sole practice game against England Lions, recording overall statistics of 2 for 151 from twenty-four overs

This creates the possibility of Bashir playing in an Ashes match without being affiliated with a domestic team

His deal at the domestic team concluded at the end of the home summer

Expected Selection

Still, an visiting team including Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, leader Stokes and Brydon Carse - every one of them are capable of reaching 90mph - stays the most likely outcome

The initial game starts at early morning GMT on Friday, with live text coverage, expert analysis and real-time features available

Playing Group

Selected players for series opener: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (skipper), Jamie Smith (wk), Atkinson, Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Even though a several England Ashes triumphs at in England and overseas have been founded on quick bowling, they have not previously used as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The side that triumphed at domestically in the memorable competition of that year contained Harmison, Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to the host nation in that era had Bob Willis, Lever and Snow, and the England team that won in 1954-55 included Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

In this instance - potentially the most exciting England-Australia contests in recent memory - the English team are aiming to change an awful record - they have been unable to secure a five-day game in Australia since 2011

Only five members of the sixteen-player group have played a Test in Australia, but the bowler says that could work in England's favour

"It could be an positive," he told reporters

"There are a many cricketers who have mentioned they have had challenging periods in this country

"Regarding our team, we are a extremely composed, extremely confident group

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"We all see it as a huge opportunity to do something special"

Australian Preparations

Australia's training on recently was temporarily interrupted by the possibility of bad weather

The home side are likely to hand a first cap to opener Weatherald, with uncapped pace bowler Doggett also coming in following fitness concerns to captain Pat Cummins and colleague Hazlewood